Garden Column for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

March 10, 2005

     Lawns are beginning to green quickly now. Mine actually needs to be mowed. March is lawn maintenance month. Many have questions about lawn care and most can identify with lawn care questions I have received below.

     Question: It this the best time to fertilize my fescue lawn? Answer:  Yes, Fescue grows best when fertilized in late February through March.  Avoid over fertilizing in April and May.

     Question: Do you recommend slow release fertilizers? Answer: Yes, I like to use them because they provide nutrients slowly during the spring and summer. Turf will green up quickly, but grows much slower than lawns fertilized with a grade fertilizer. There are many benefits for using slow release-turf type fertilizers.

     Question: What about reseeding in the spring? Answer: The time to over-seed would be now.  Go ahead and reseed bare or thin areas.

     Question: Should I core aerate my lawn in the spring?  Answer: It depends; if your cool season lawn is well establish then the answer would be no.  Core aerating in the spring damages root system of established lawns and encourages weed growth, especially crabgrass and other warm season grasses. If your lawn is mostly weeds or bare ground and you really have nothing to loose, then proceed, aerate and reseed.

     Question: What should I do about broad-leafed weeds?  Answer: Broadleaf weeds such as clover, chickweed, henbit, wild garlic, etc., can be controlled with post emergence herbicides most any time of the year.  Wait 3 to 4 weeks after you reseed before application.

     Question: When can I kill bermuda grass? Answer: Bermuda grass can be controlled when it is actively growing with glyphosate (Roundup and other products).  Active growth begins as early as May or June.  Repeated applications will be necessary.  The optimum time to kill bermuda grass is during the month of August.

     Question: When is the best time to apply a pre emergence herbicide to control crabgrass? Answer: Crab grass preventers should be applied during late February thru mid March.  Crabgrass germination is determined by soil temperature.  Crabgrasss and other warm season grasses germinate when soil temperatures approach 60 degrees. Dogwood blooms or forsythia blooms are not always good indicators because of fluctuation temperatures. For full season crabgrass control, pre emergence herbicides need to be applied in split applications late in February and again in May. Many are impregnated on fertilizers for convenience. Do not use pre-emergence with fertilizer after May.

     Question: Can I control ants or grubs in the soil now?  Answer: Wait until the soil warms and then apply soil insecticides. Soil insecticides reduce grubs which in turn drives moles to other grub infested locations.  Grubs can be controlled in the spring; however, the best month for grub control is October.